In the early morning hours of Sunday, August 26, 2018, the life of 46-year-old Desmond Winesberry, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in Wichita, Kansas. Police were alerted to the situation around 2 a.m. when an individual arrived at a police station to report that a man was injured and in need of assistance at a residence in the 2300 block of North Chautauqua. When officers arrived at the home, they discovered Winesberry with significant trauma to his body.
Despite the prompt response, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators quickly determined that Winesberry had sustained gunshot wounds to his upper body. Authorities indicated that the incident was not a random act of violence. Evidence suggested that a verbal and physical altercation had taken place prior to the fatal shooting. Police also noted that drugs may have been a factor in the events leading up to Winesberry's death, which marked the city's 37th homicide of the year.
In the days following the incident, the investigation led to an arrest. Damien Dawain Manuel, a 31-year-old man from Wichita, was taken into custody on suspicion of first-degree murder. The arrest occurred on the evening of Monday, August 27. While Manuel was identified as the primary suspect, law enforcement officials stated that they were seeking to speak with at least one other individual in connection with the case. The police encouraged anyone with information to come forward to assist in the ongoing investigation.
